DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAPITALS MOBILIZED TO STRENGTHENLOCAL POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

• Main Author: Çiğdem AKSU
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Social Sciences Research Society 2011-07-01
• Series: International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies
• Online Access: http://www.sobiad.org/ejournals/journal_IJSS/arhieves/2011_2/cigdem_aksu.pdf

Bourdieu founds his sociology of field on differenttypes of capitals- namelyeconomic, social, cultural and symbolic capitals- that need to be mobilized bysocial agents in order to dominate one specific field. According to Bourdieu,society is divided into various fields, such as political field, education, gender, artor economical fields, and each one constituting anarena of struggle ofdomination. In modern and fragmented societies, economic capital is no longersufficient to dominate one field; social agents orgroups has to therefore investother type(s) of capital which is suitable for thefield to be dominated. Forinstance, in order to dominate in the political field, it would be assumed that oneshould invest both social and symbolic capitals, which to be transformed into the“political capital”.This study aims to argue the role of local political leaders in the context of abovedescribed Bourdieuan framework of “capital”. More precisely, the study departsfrom the question “which types of capital do localpolitical leaders (mayors)mobilize in dominating local political decision-making processes?” In order torespond to question, a field study has been conducted in Edirne, focusing on thelocal political decision-making processes and the dominating role of the mayorduring these processes. Conducting the field studyin a city where an oppositionpolitical party mayor is in force helps to identifymore clearly the social andsymbolic types of capitals mobilized by the mayor,since it would be undoubtedlystated that the political power of the mayor does not depend on centralgovernment. Local political decision-making processes in Edirne have beenanalyzed via in-depth interviews carried out with local politicians, bureaucrats,journalists and NGO representatives. Additionally,local press and local councildecisions have been analyzed. Locally rooted socialcapital (local networks andrelations) has significant impact on the politicalpower of the mayor, as well asthe symbolic capital he mobilizes via populist discourses and political attitudesthat would be considered within the concept of “charismatic leadership”.